Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2019 Case	Sep. 29, 2019 USD ($) Case	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2019 USD ($) Case	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 24, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract] [Abstract]
Litigation expenses | $		$ 5.6	$ 0.0	$ 5.6	$ 0.0
Site Contingency [Abstract]
Consent decree paid by US government | $						$ 2.3
Silica Cases [Member]
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract] [Abstract]
Number of pending cases		3		3
Cumulative number of cases dismissed		1,493		1,493
Number of cases dismissed				0
Number of lawsuits settled				1
Number of remaining non-AMCOL cases where alleged exposure is after Company's IPO				2
Number of remaining cases that involve AMCOL only - no indemnity				4
Asbestos Cases [Member]
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract] [Abstract]
Number of pending cases		91		91
Cumulative number of cases dismissed		61		61
Number of new cases filed		29		49
Litigation expenses | $				$ 5.6
Number of cases dismissed				2
Number of lawsuits settled				0
Number of cases claim liability				76
Number of cases with no alleged exposure date				9
Number of allege liability				11
Asbestos Cases [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingency, Information about Litigation Matters [Abstract] [Abstract]
Number of new cases filed	9
Administrative Consent Order for Contamination Associated with Historic Use of PCBs [Member]
Site Contingency [Abstract]
Estimated accrued remediation cost | $		$ 0.4		$ 0.4
Administrative Consent Order for Installation of Groundwater Contamination System [Member]
Site Contingency [Abstract]
Estimated accrued remediation cost | $		$ 0.4		0.4
Estimated cost of wastewater treatment upgrades, lower range | $				6.0
Estimated cost of wastewater treatment upgrades, upper range | $				$ 8.0